LEGACY LEADERSHIP: Jim Jannard founded Oakley in 1975 with $300—naming it after his English Setter, Oakley Anne. He initially sold motocross accessories out of his car trunk. His first breakthrough product was a motorcycle grip engineered to improve wet-weather grip, followed by racing goggles and, eventually, the performance sunglasses that transformed Oakley into a billion-dollar eyewear company. Jannard took Oakley public in 1995 and stepped down as chief executive in 2005 while remaining the majority owner and chairman until he sold the company in 2007 to Luxottica Group—now EssilorLuxottica—for $2.1B.
HQ: Foothill Ranch
OC SIGNIFICANCE: Oakley established its 550,000-square-foot corporate and manufacturing headquarters in Foothill Ranch at 1 Icon in 1997, which Jannard helped co-design, and it still houses the eyewear brand today.
DEFINING MOMENT: In 1984, Jim Jannard developed the Oakley Eyeshades, which marked the company’s pivot to eyewear. He made the first prototype with a coat hanger, Lexan goggle lens and some electrical tape. Oakley holds 545 patents and 1,106 trademarks.
BY THE NUMBERS: At the time of its sale to Luxottica in 2007, Oakley reported yearly sales of about $920M. The Business Journal estimates the company employs about 1,400 people currently in Foothill Ranch and 3,500 in total.
QUOTABLE: “I started Oakley with a simple belief. Everything can and will be made better. It is just a matter of when and by whom.”—Jim Jannard
FUN FACT: Basketball icon Michael Jordan acquired shares when it was publicly traded, sat on the board of directors and co-created a pair of sunglasses, the Oakley Mars.
